Installing Pre-Finished Hardwood Floors Do–It–Yourself (DIY) Guide

Today prefinished hardwood flooring is beautiful,
durable, and a great investment for any home. These installation instructions go over the essential things you'll need to
know during your prefinished hardwood installation.

Our Hardwood installation quick guide has been posted below for your convenience. Should you choose
not to download the free pdf of our install guides, feel free to browse below using the green navigation at the top of the
page to go to each hardwood installation section. For information on green installation for your hardwood floors, check
out our Green Site at Green.FindAnyFloor.com.

Getting Started or Ready to Install your Floor?

The Basics – Preparing to Work

You can install prefinished hardwood flooring with one of these methods:

Installation Basics

Never store your hardwood in direct sunlight or in the garage. Keep your hardwood flooring away from outside walls,
doors, windows and air vents.

During installation, always leave at least a 1/2" expansion/contraction perimeter around the room. More
expansion/contraction area may be required for large room installations or if you live in a humid area. Consult your flooring
manufacturer or retailer.

Always use an underlayment. Cork, standard foam, combination foam/film and upgraded foam are all good choices. For more
specific information about these underlayments, see the full Installing Prefinished Hardwood Flooring guide on
FindAnyFloor.com.

Install a moisture barrier (6mm polyethylene/plastic sheeting) between your subfloor and hardwood, especially if you
are installing above a concrete slab or you live in a humid area.

Calculate the number of rows of hardwood you'll need to complete your floor. If your first and last row are very
different widths (for example, your first row is 3" and your last row is less an 1") re–calculate so that these rows
are more equal.

You may need to scribe fit your first and last row to match the wall contours to ensure your hardwood floor goes down
straight even if your walls are not.

Stagger all joints 2–3 times the width of the plank for an even looking floor. Avoid H–joints.

When starting all new rows, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for board length (usually between 8"–10")
to ensure your joints are staggered evenly. You may be able to use the remainder of the plank you cut to end the previous
row.

Inspect all boards before you install them. Do not install damaged boards. Cut away damaged areas and use the remainder
to start rows. Place slightly discolored boards in closets or pantries where the color variation may not be as noticeable.

Remove all existing flooring, if necessary. Do not remove any existing flooring if you find asbestos. Follow all local,
state and federal guidelines when handling and/or disposing of asbestos.

Use a moisture meter to test wood subfloors for moisture. Acceptable ranges include:

3" wide or less – Less than a 4% variance between the subfloor and the hardwood flooring.

3" wide or more – Less than a 2% variance between the subfloor and the hardwood flooring.

NOTE: You can perform a Polyethylene Moisture Test on concrete slabs. Tape several 12"x12"
pieces of plastic sheeting to the subfloor. If after 24 hours any condensation forms, you must perform a Calcium Chloride and
pH Alkalinity test. It's a good idea to perform these tests anyway as excessive subfloor moisture can cause major problems in
the long run.

Ensure the subfloor is level and free from all bumps, dips and imperfections (such as drywall mud or paint overspray).
Scrape your subfloor clean. Sand down any high areas. Use self–leveling compound to level low areas. Perform all
moisture tests again if a self–leveling compound is used.

Have your hardwood flooring delivered 2–7 days before your installation.

Place your hardwood flooring in the installation area to acclimatize. The room should be between 60°– 80°
F with a relative humidity of between 35%–65%. Follow all the manufacturer's acclimatization recommendations.

Use a moisture meter to moisture test your hardwood flooring before installation as recommended by your manufacturer.

Tips and Tricks

When cutting, saw into the prefinished side first to avoid chipping the finish. Always use a carbide–tipped
blade. Use blue painters tape along the area to be cut to help prevent chipping the prefinished surface.

Use a tapping block to move the hardwood into position. Do not hit the hardwood flooring directly.

Keep the installation area as clean as possible. Do all cutting in another area.

Place tools on a piece of cardboard on top of your hardwood to avoid scratching or damaging your new floor.

Most professional installers work from left to right, although you can do what is most comfortable for you.

Always work from your subfloor NOT your new hardwood floor.

Install the Underlayment

Install your cork, foam, plastic sheeting or other underlayment according to the manufacturer's recommendations. If
using the glue down method, make sure the underlayment you use is specifically designed for a glue down installation.